9 to 5ish with theSkimm

You might’ve noticed that we’ve been talking about money lately at theSkimm. A big part of money 101: knowing how to negotiate. Peggy Johnson’s an expert. She’s the EVP of business development at Microsoft. Translation: she drives strategic partnerships for the company … and negotiates. A lot. Peggy’s been running the show since 2014. She’s an avid runner, and she’s been known to carry out negotiations with sneakers on. While running. Before Microsoft, she spent almost 25 years working her way up the ladder at Qualcomm. On the couch, she talks to us about maintaining business relationships, standing out as an introvert, and playing to her strengths at the negotiation table. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anu Duggal and Sutian Dong are the partners of Female Founders Fund, where they invest in tech companies started by women. Anu began her career as an entrepreneur -- including starting India’s first wine bar, and an e-commerce company. Sutian came from the investing side of things. In 2014, Anu decided to launch Female Founders Fund. A couple years later, she brought Sutian on as a partner. Together, they’ve invested in companies like Thrive Global and Rent the Runway. On the Couch, they talk to us about what makes a great cold email, the companies in their shadow portfolios, and why they’re so focused on building communities for female founders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Valentine’s Day is coming up. And Amber Venz Box knows a thing or two about making relationships work … at work. She’s the president of RewardStyle -- the company she founded with her then-boyfriend, now-husband Baxter. Amber started out as a personal shopper. But she realized that people were buying the products she recommended on her blog on their own … and cutting her out of a commission. So in 2011, Amber and Baxter started RewardStyle. It connects brands and influencers so both sides can benefit. In 2017, they drove over a billion dollars in sales. And launched their app, which attracted a million users in just 9 months. But building her company hasn’t been easy. On the Couch, she talks to us about being an introverted leader, how to network, and what it’s like to build a business with your SO.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York Fashion Week kicks off this week. So we sat down with Rebecca Minkoff -- the co-founder and creative director of, you guessed it, Rebecca Minkoff, LLC. That’s the fashion brand she started in 2005 with her brother. Since then, their company has been a leader in shaping the future of fashion: Rebecca Minkoff was one of the first fashion brands to engage with their customers through social media and influencers. But she hasn’t stopped there. In 2018, Rebecca launched the Female Founder Collective to support and invest in women-led businesses. At this LIVE power breakfast, she talks to us about taking risks, going to couples therapy with her brother-slash-cofounder, and supporting other women in the workplace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arielle Charnas is the super influencer behind the style blog-turned-brand Something Navy. Arielle started the blog in 2009, when she was just 22 years old. And since then, she’s gained a following of more than a million people. Last year, she launched her brand with Nordstrom… which was so popular that it crashed the site. Now, she’s rolling out more and more collections with the retailer. On the couch, she talks to us about being her own boss, choosing the right opportunities, and building a team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Year...new Skimm’d from the Couch. We’re starting off the year with the queen of motivation, Jillian Michaels. You might remember Jillian from her role as a trainer on the hit NBC show, “The Biggest Loser,” or from her fitness DVDs. But you might not know that she also built a wellness empire, including an exercise streaming platform, and her award-winning fitness app. Jillian’s also a best-selling author, with a brand-new book out: “The 6 Keys: Unlock Your Genetic Potential for Ageless Strength, Health, and Beauty.” On the couch, she talks to us about how she motivates herself, leading by example, and making long-term resolutions...that you can actually keep. Get ready to be inspired. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Alexa von Tobel graduated college, she still had a lot of q’s about how to manage her cash. So she did what anyone would: wrote a 75-page business plan. And took it to Harvard Business School. Casual. But within a semester, she decided to drop out and start her business for real. Enter: LearnVest, the company that makes financial resources more accessible for everyone. In 2015, LearnVest was acquired by Northwestern Mutual. And now, Alexa has responsibilities at both companies. On the couch, she talks to us about dropping out of business school, why she has two executive coaches, and going through an acquisition...while 9 months pregnant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Samantha Barry grew up in Ireland. And she always knew news was the path for her. Sam started out her career as a researcher, and then became an international reporter. Her reporting took her around the world, where she started to see the power of social media. She took that realization and went on to help major news organizations build out their social media presences. We’re talking huge names like BBC and CNN. Now, she’s the editor in chief of Glamour. Anna Wintour has called her Glamour’s first digital-native editor...so it’s no surprise that Sam’s taking the magazine entirely online. On the couch, she talks to us about being fearless, making changes at an established company, and the three ways she negotiates for herself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest this week is the one and only Martha Stewart. Growing up, she had a knack for all things lifestyle: cooking, gardening and sewing. But after college, she decided to follow a different path. To Wall Street. Martha eventually took the business skills she learned there...and used them to build an empire of her own. There have been bumps along the way. But now, she’s the Chief Creative Officer of Sequential Brands Group, where she oversees everything from the Martha Stewart Living Magazine to her cooking show with Snoop Dogg. We had a lot of questions, too. On the couch, she talks to us about her very first side hustle, how she got her company started, and what she’s like as a manager. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beth Comstock is the first female vice chair of GE. But before that, she built a career in communications at companies like CBS, CNN, and NBCUniversal. At NBC, Beth helped launch one of your favorite binge-ing sites: Hulu. And she kept working her way up the ranks. All the way to becoming the first female Vice Chair of GE. Most recently -- Beth wrote a book about courage, creativity, and making change. It’s called “Imagine it Forward.” On the couch, she talks to us about what a vice chair actually is, why she took the job nobody else wanted, and what it means to be an introverted leader. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices